Read Ebook: What I Saw in Kaffir-Land by Lakeman Stephen

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Ebook has 276 lines and 46656 words, and 6 pages

It happened that Sergeant Herridge of the police force, and in command of that party, seeing the discomfiture of his men, had had the discretion to lead them back to Cape Town, and was showing the way as fast as his portly person, under the sweltering heat of the sun and the battle combined, allowed him to do. Happy Jack espied the retreating chief, and took up the pursuit like Achilles after affrighted Hector, chevying him round and round his admiring followers. At length he reached the spent chieftain, and placing the muzzle of his firelock between the outspread coat-tails of the flying victim, blew a cartridge off at that part upon which people usually sit. The effect was startling. Hector cut a double-shuffle high up in the air like an exploding cracker, and while still wreathed in smoke, swung round his truncheon with Parthian address on the grinning face of Jack, whose head came to the ground--cracker number two.

Now was the time for the victorious sergeant to make off: the road was clear, and he had my good wishes that it should be kept so. But the foolish fellow, instead of running away, to live and fight another day, sat deliberately down in the dusty road and began bumping his hindquarters violently on the ground, to stamp out the fire the cartridge of Happy Jack had lit in his rear. This ludicrous display of stern-firing gave time for other men to come up; he was made prisoner, and Jack, recovering his senses, feelingly kicked the fire out of the singeing sergeant in double-quick time. Herridge was removed on board in a critical state, refusing in his disgraced condition to be taken to Cape Town; ultimately, upon recovery, he enlisted in my corps.

On the discomfiture of the police, the artillerymen in the valley began to retreat; but in this direction the pursuit was very slack. My men bent all their energies in scattering every vestige of civil authority; they evidently began to consider themselves as one with the soldiers--in fact, it was in recounting the mishaps that had that day befallen the police that we retired laughingly together, with those whom we were supposed to be repulsing with great vigour.

Finally, on arriving at the beach from whence the enemy had started, a still greater surprise awaited us; but this time it fell exclusively upon my own men, and that in a most bewildering manner.

Foreseeing the disorderly manner in which my rough lot would probably leave the grog-shops, I started very early in the morning, before the inhabitants had got up--for I was loath to show our, as yet, disorganised state. I waited until fairly on the march before bringing a tighter hand to bear upon the many ruffians in my corps, who, half in joke, half inquiringly, looked me in the face, and called me mate, skipper, or captain, as they interpreted its meaning.

The next morning, on the order being given for the men to fall in for roll-call, no one stirred. Sergeant Waine, who had been a non-commissioned officer in the 44th, but broken and discharged for bad conduct, to whom I had given the stripes in consideration of his regimental knowledge, stepped up to me, and said that the men wanted grog served out to them before they would budge, and if they did not get it, would return to Port Elizabeth. I did not reply to him, but, getting on my horse, rode up to the men and asked if they had enlisted with the intention of obeying orders or not. No one replied; and giving the word to fall in, they sullenly did so.

On fording Sunday River, which runs through the Ada bush, the whole column nearly came to grief. All due precautions had, however, been taken as though passing through an enemy's country, lining both sides of the ford--an advanced-guard and a rear-guard. But notwithstanding orders, some of the men had strolled down the banks of the river in order to find a favourable spot to bathe. While thus proceeding, some marauding Fingoes were espied; a cry arose that the Kaffirs were coming, a stampede ensued, and my men bolted like rabbits into the bush. The Hottentot drivers cut the traces of their oxen, disappearing with their cattle, and I was left alone with the waggons in the middle of the river, with five or six men whom I had managed to keep together--my anxiety barely sufficing to retain my laughter at the ridiculous disappearance of the whole party.

The Fingoes, however, were as much frightened as my men had been, and ran away in the opposite direction; so when my fellows had been sufficiently scratched and blown by making their way through the prickly underwood, unmolested by all except their own fears , they soon retraced their footsteps, and could be seen in twos and threes peeping from the outskirts of the jungle to know whether the coast had become clear. On getting them together again, I made a speech, and so enlarged upon their ridiculously discreditable behaviour, that they swore, one and all, that they would never so commit themselves again. To put their courage to the test, I determined to encamp that night where this occurred--in the middle of the bush. This was rather hazardous; but I counted upon the danger of Fingo marauders to keep them together, and in my own bold attitude to keep the latter off.

My position was a strange one; and as I lay that night upon a gun-carriage, having for companions Waine moaning over the pains in his back, and Happy Jack muttering threats of courts-martial, I thought, if Providence did not intervene, the thread of my existence would possibly snap somehow.

THE DUTCH AND ENGLISH SETTLERS--FIRST TRIAL OF THE MINIE AT THE CAPE--I PART WITH HAPPY JACK--MARCH INTO GRAHAM'S TOWN--THE OFFICERS OF THE CORPS--COLONEL CLO?TE--SHORTCOMINGS OF THE SERVICE--THE COMMISSARIAT ORDERED TO FORT BEAUFORT--ARRIVE AT HEADQUARTERS.

As a rule, I found the settlers--English and Dutch--a fine, generous-hearted set of people; and many of them who read these lines may, I hope, think with pleasure of the happy times we passed together.

It was a great relief to get rid of my sick men, as I had no medical man with the corps; and the only medicines or pharmaceutical knowledge I possessed were gleaned from a small medicine-chest I had purchased at Port Elizabeth. It was one of the ceaseless threats of Happy Jack that I had had a man flogged without a medical man being present, and without having remedies at hand in case of accident.

The next day we proceeded to Mr Judd's farm, some ten miles farther on the road. Here I had an opportunity of showing what the Minie rifle could perform. We were sitting under the veranda of Mr Judd's house examining one of the men's rifles, and I was explaining the advantage of a rapid twist with an elongated bullet having an expansive base, &c. Mr Judd asked if it would reach some bullocks which were grazing five or six hundred yards off, adding that I might try if I liked, for the cattle were his. To this I consented; and laying the rifle on the balcony as a rest, I singled out a bullock to his attention--fired. I had the satisfaction that, either from the whistling of the ball or from being actually struck, the mark had been attained, for the animal immediately started off at a trot. All doubts, however, soon came to an end; for the poor brute lay down, and before we could reach the spot, had died,--the ball had passed through its body. This, no doubt, was a great fluke; but it had the good result of proving the value of the weapon to the men , and also leading them to suppose I was a first-rate shot.

At this farm I also had the satisfaction of getting rid of Happy Jack. I afforded him the opportunity of deserting during the night, which he availed himself of; and I took particular care not to have him awakened the next morning as we departed, although I knew he was lying drunk in a cattle-kraal a short way off. Waine became much more humble after Jack's desertion, and before we reached Graham's Town had been restored to the ranks. So all fear of my being called up before a court-martial for flogging a man with an illegal instrument--which his belt undoubtedly was--soon disappeared.

We made a great sensation on our entrance into Graham's Town: the gun-carriages, wrapped up in hay to prevent any ill effects from the heat of the sun, might be readily taken for real artillery. The men--mostly seafaring people, with big rounded shoulders, bronzed faces, and long hirsute appendages--might, for size and determination of look, compare advantageously with any troops in the colony. They also wore leather helmets somewhat similar to those now adopted in the service, which added considerably to their martial appearance; and altogether they presented to the beholder a most formidable accession to her Majesty's forces at the Cape.

It may not be out of place to give a slight outline of the officers who commanded my detachment.

Sergeant-major Herridge I have already described.

Sergeant Beaufort had been in the Rifle Brigade: he was the handsomest man I perhaps ever beheld; with short, crisp, light chestnut locks, full, oval countenance, tall stature--six feet two inches--and well-rounded limbs. He looked the picture of what Richard Coeur de Lion might have been.

Sergeant Shelley had been in the 60th Rifles: a tall, lank fellow, with arms and legs on the move, like a windmill in a gale of wind--always threatening to fly off at a tangent, but nevertheless fixed to his post. He became very attached to me; and many a time, while thinking myself alone in the bush, Sergeant Shelley would appear at my side, with "All right, captain; here I am;" and all right it was, for the man was a host in himself, through his acuteness, strength, and daring.

It was here that I first became acquainted with the shortcomings of the service.

Colonel Clo?te, the Quartermaster-general, had no more idea as to the ammunition I had brought from Port Elizabeth than what he had to do with it. He knew, certainly, what requisitions he had received, but he knew no more than I did what reserves, not actually wanted, existed in those places. The waggons that brought the ammunition, and had given me such anxiety on the road, were left, during my ten days' stay in Graham's Town, in the open streets; not a sentry or guard of any sort--the Hottentot drivers, with pipes in their mouths, seeming the presiding guardians over British military stores.

After waiting twelve days, I at last received orders to proceed to Fort Beaufort. The men being in fair condition by this time, I determined to cover the distance in two days. This was easily accomplished; and rather to the surprise of the Commander-in-chief, I presented myself at headquarters.

I gave a report in writing of my doings on the road, and my estimation of the resources and failings as a military road, that it professed. Amongst other things, I stated the fact of seeing a strong detachment of the 12th Regiment uselessly guarding a fort of no possible influence in the actual state of the war. This brought the staff down upon me; but I was thanked by the General, who, as a token of welcome, presented me with a fine chestnut charger.

The whole line stopped as if struck by an electric shock. Another shot as effective as the last would, I felt sure, send them to the right-about; so I ran to the front and shouted out, "We shall all be shot if we remain here in the open! To the bush, my lads! to the bush!"

The sense of this order was obvious. We shouted "Hurrah!" as much to drown our own fears as to frighten the enemy; and amidst a rattling fire, more noisy than dangerous, we, for safety's sake, gallantly charged the foe. The Kaffirs and Hottentots were evidently taken by surprise at this display of gallantry--latterly all the charges had been on their side. The tables were turned, and instead of red-jackets, it was for black-skins to fall back.

Once in the bush, what with cheering and firing, we kept up such a hullabaloo, that the niggers must have thought all the white devils of Christendom were let loose upon them. I, who knew where the row came from, was astonished at the effect upon my own nerves, as the adjoining rocks reverberated the sound of our advance. We literally chased the foe like rabbits through the bush, and came out at the other end of the Horse-shoe, rather disappointed than otherwise in not meeting with more resistance. We then fell back on the main body, having performed our task with a decided dash and very slight loss--two killed and five wounded. As we were quite unmolested by the foe, it was admirable to see the cool, collected manner in which my men retired--in fact, I was not at all astonished when General Napier sent a staff officer to thank us for our gallant and orderly bearing. We now proceeded to breakfast, and had hardly begun, when the same officer came back and told me to advance with my men and endeavour to dislodge the Kaffirs from some rough boulders of rock on the edge of the kloof, some two miles on our left. Now this order was unadvisable for many reasons: from the lie of the ground it had no strategical importance; it neither threatened the enemy's stronghold, nor in any way interfered with movements we might make to carry it.

My men had had a long march, which, combined with the efforts in clearing out the Horse-shoe, had left us without any physical energy; whilst there were whole battalions who had not fired a shot, and were eager for an opportunity to distinguish themselves.

I, however, kept these reasonings to myself; and giving the men orders to prepare for action, they sprang to their feet with far more alacrity than I had a right to expect.

In going to take up the ground assigned to us as the point of attack, we passed in front of the main body, and the General came up and shook hands with me. This cheering token sent us on in good spirits to within about a thousand yards of the rocks above named. I here sent a small detachment down a slope of ground that led somewhat to our left, to threaten, if possible, the flank and rear of the position in our front.

With the rest of the men I obliqued slightly to the right, with the same object of turning the rear in that direction also.

We had advanced about half-way when the guns of Captain Rowley's battery opened fire over our heads. This caused considerable uneasiness; the men were not accustomed to the hurling noise rushing over their heads from the rear: some ducked, some stopped, others went on; and the line, which hitherto had been so well kept, assumed a most zigzag, mob-looking appearance.

I have often observed that even veterans waver and become confused under this meteor-discharge overhead. The Kaffirs, however, did not seem to be much frightened by the shot or the shell. They fielded for the cannon-shot as they rebounded from the rocks as though they were cricket-balls. These same balls were much prized as pestles for grinding purposes.

As for the shells, they no sooner burst than, in derision, the Kaffirs picked pieces up and pretended to throw them back at us. But now a rocket that was intended to astonish the Kaffirs came so close over us, that the whole line started and ducked their heads in the most ridiculous fashion. This profound salaam, as we faced the foe, elicited from them a tremendous shout of approval in return. I profited by this humility of ours, and as my fellows had their faces so close to the ground, I ordered them to lie down altogether. "Raise the sighting on the rifles for six hundred yards. Take steady aim. Fire!"

At the first discharge the Kaffirs scuttled from the rocks in flying order, leaving, however, several of their bodies on the ground. So the Minie rifle did in one minute what six guns and rocket-tubes had been attempting for the last quarter of an hour.

I then cautiously advanced to within a short distance of the rocks. The men lay down once more, to wait for the flanking party to begin on our left; but they had gone too far down, and when at length they began firing, it had no influence on the Kaffirs behind the rocks facing us. It was difficult now to know what to do. The enemy was far too strong for us to carry the position by a front attack, and my flanking party seemed, by the sound of the firing, to be rather going from than approaching us. At this critical moment the recall sounded far away in the rear, and never sound struck my ear more cheerfully before. We fell back in the most orderly manner; and the Kaffirs, coming out in great numbers from behind the rocks to survey our retreat, received a last volley in return, which quickly sent them to the right-about.

The Minie rifle taught them this day a lesson which they ever after identified with my men, and they never forgot its instructive teaching. We were now sent to take up our quarters near the spot where the attack had commenced in the morning. We were to remain there until further orders. A body of the regular forces was also sent to take up a position about a mile in the rear; while the main body marched back again to headquarters at Fort Beaufort.

I immediately set to work, throwing up a defence against a night attack; and before evening set in--there being an abundance of stone material at hand--I had thrown up a tolerably strong defence. The next day was the first at which I assisted at public prayers in the colony. My men and I were perched on the huge boulders of rock that fringe the Water-kloof height, and from the depths below arose, in childlike strains, the glorious morning hymn--

"Awake, my soul, and with the sun Thy daily course of duty run."

"HEADQUARTERS, FORT BEAUFORT.

"General Napier speaks in the highest terms of the discernment and gallantry displayed by Captain Lakeman, and the bravery and good conduct of his men on this their first engagement with the enemy.

"A. J. CLO?TE,

This was very gratifying, and we determined to obtain still further recognitions of services rendered. In the course of a month we had so far created a panic by our night attacks, that the Kaffirs evacuated the whole of the table-land surrounding the Water-kloof, and retired to the valley and rocky recesses below.

ANOTHER COMBINED ATTACK--SMALL RESULTS--CAPTURE OF MUNDELL'S PEAK--THANKED A SECOND TIME IN GENERAL ORDERS--EXAMPLE OF TENACITY OF LIFE--BUILDING FORTS--THE DESCENT INTO THE WATER-KLOOF--REPROACHES--DISREGARDED ADVICE--AN ATTACK AND THE CONSEQUENCES--IN DANGER AND UNABLE TO PROCURE ASSISTANCE--RELIEVED FROM ALL INTERFERENCE BY OTHER COMMANDING OFFICERS--RECEIVE WRITTEN THANKS OF GENERAL COMMANDING--RECEIVE ADDITIONAL COMMAND OF NEW COMPANY OF FINGOES--I ASSERT MY RIGHT OVER PRISONERS--JOHNY FINGO--A SKIRMISH--SAVAGE INDIFFERENCE TO PHYSICAL PAIN--NIGHT FIGHTING--TREACHERY.

Another attack on a still grander scale than the last was now decided on at headquarters; and the Commander-in-chief, General Cathcart, with several thousand troops, guns, &c., were accordingly assembled on the heights overlooking the kloof. It was, however, a somewhat tame affair. We merely marched round the heights, and only attacked a small Kaffir village on the edge of a promontory, called Mundell's Peak, that advanced like a wedge into the middle of the above-named kloof and almost divided it in two.

This operation fell to my share, and was, I think, effectually done in fair military style. In the general orders issued relating to the events of the day, it stated:--

"In the attack and carrying of Mundell's Peak, the gallantry and spirited conduct of Lakeman's corps and its commander, it is gratifying to the Commander of the Forces to take this opportunity to notice.

"A. J. CLO?TE,

During this day I observed a tenacity of life which seemed incredible. A soldier of the Rifle Brigade, in looking over the edge of the kloof, was shot through the head. I was on horseback close to him at the time; I dismounted, propped him up with his pack, picked up the cap which had been knocked off by the shot, and placed it with my handkerchief over his face. The body was shortly afterwards put on a stretcher and taken to Post Reteif, several miles off, then commanded by Captain Bruce , a gallant and hospitable soldier. On the evening of the same day I saw the man there, still breathing, with a hole in his head through which you might have passed a ramrod, and he only died towards the next morning.

I warned him that the enemy was driven to desperation, and capable of mad freaks of revenge that would certainly entail serious loss if attacked during the day; and as a proof of their present state, they had that morning followed me almost into camp, and once or twice I felt convinced by their bearing they were half inclined to attack it. Now, if left to themselves for a few days longer, half starved and discouraged, they would probably leave of their own accord that part of the country. The General, however, pooh-poohed my reasoning, and shortly afterwards marched out with all his forces, composed of the 60th Rifles, the 74th, the 91st, a battery of artillery, rocket-tubes, &c.--in fact, a most formidable body of men, and equal, if properly handled, to beat easily the same number of the best troops in Europe. They proceeded towards Mundell's Peak, and I went to lie down as was my wont after passing a night out.

"TO CAPTAIN LAKEMAN.

"SIR,--Having submitted your report of the 29th inst., I am directed to convey to you, by desire of the Commander of the Forces, his Excellency's satisfaction with the constant activity and military energy you have displayed since you have been engaged in the operations in the vicinity of the Water-kloof.

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